Snoop Dogg is EMI’s top Priority

Rapper named creative chairman of music unit

In a move designed to raise the profile of one of rap music’s venerable brands, Snoop Dogg has been named creative chairman of EMI’s Priority Records.

The West Coast rap titan and sometime thesp will executive produce a series of Priority releases geared to the label’s 25th anniversary in 2010. Company is the home of such pioneering California rap acts as NWA, Eazy-E, Ice Cube and Westside Connection.

Returning to the label that issued his work early in the decade, Snoop Dogg will also issue his latest album “Malice ‘N Wonderland” on Priority in December. Produced by Dr. Dre, Pharrell, the Dream and others, collection will feature appearances by rap and R&B heavies R. Kelly, Soulja Boy and Jazmine Sullivan.

His manager, Ted Chung of Stampede Management, will join Priority as brand strategist.

Bill Gagnon, senior VP and GM of EMI Music North America’s catalog division, called Snoop Dogg the ideal choice to “take this pioneering label into the future.”